Design of Mechanical Elements: A Concise Introduction to Mechanical Design Considerations and Calculations

Provides a student-friendly approach for building the skills required to perform mechanical design calculations

Design of Mechanical Elements offers an accessible introduction to mechanical design calculations. Written for students encountering the subject for the first time, this concise textbook focuses on fundamental concepts, problem solving, and methodical calculations of common mechanical components, rather than providing a comprehensive treatment of a wide range of components. Each chapter contains a brief overview of key terminology, a clear explanation of the physics underlying the topic, and solution procedures for typical mechanical design and verification problems.

The textbook is divided into three sections, beginning with an overview of the mechanical design process and coverage of basic design concepts including material selection, statistical considerations, tolerances, and safety factors. The next section discusses strength of materials in the context of design of mechanical elements, illustrating different types of static and dynamic loading problems and their corresponding failure criteria. In the concluding section, students learn to combine and apply these concepts and techniques to design specific mechanical elements including shafts, bolted and welded joints, bearings, and gears.

• Provides a systematic “recipe” students can easily apply to perform mechanical design calculations
• Illustrates theoretical concepts and procedures for solving mechanical design problems with numerous solved examples
• Presents easy-to-understand explanations of the considerations and assumptions central to mechanical design
• Includes end-of-chapter practice problems that strengthen the understanding of calculation techniques

Supplying the basic skills and knowledge necessary for methodically performing basic mechanical design calculations, Design of Mechanical Elements: A Concise Introduction to Mechanical Design Considerations and Calculations is the perfect primary textbook for single-semester undergraduate mechanical design courses.

Bart Raeymaekers is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah, USA. His research focuses on tribology and engineered materials manufacturing and he teaches courses in mechanical design. He is an ASME Fellow and has been a multi-year recipient of the University of Utah, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Outstanding Teaching Award.